Guidelines Updated for Statin Cholesterol Med; Obama: You Can Perhaps Keep Health Insurance

On our Lab Notes page CalorieLab’s editors select and rank the day’s essential health news items in real time. Readers can suggest, vote and comment on items. Below are brief summaries of this past week’s (November 9, 2013 through November 16, 2013) Lab Notes items. To see today’s items, visit Lab Notes. 1. Guidelines Updated for Statin Cholesterol Med New cholesterol guidelines are focused on lowering risk of heart disease and stroke instead of achieving target cholesterol levels. 2. Obama: You Can Perhaps Keep Health Insurance President Obama is trying to make good on his promise to let Americans keep their individual health insurance plans, but only for a year. 3. First Month Figures for Obamacare Released The first month’s figures for Obamacare enrollment have been released – and they are dismal. 4. E.coli Outbreak Forces 90-Ton Food Recall Over 90 tons of ready-to-eat salads and sandwich wraps sold at Trader Joe’s, Super Fresh Goods, Whole Food Markets and Delish supermarkets have been recalled after being linked to an outbreak of E. coli sickness that has stricken 26 people. https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2110,2110#msg-2110

 5. We Know We Should Walk, but We Still Don’t Survey says 90% of us believe walking helps us to remain trim and prevent heart disease, while 80% agree it can ease anxiety and depression, but 79% admit they don’t walk as much as they should, and 35% actually say they walk less than they used to. 6. Baby Food Recalled Due to Packaging Defect Plum Organics recalls three baby of their food products due to possible spoilage. 7. US Airports Ranked for Healthy Food Options The percentage of airline terminal restaurants that offer at least one plant-based, cholesterol-free entree, such as veggie burgers or salads, has risen at the 18 busiest US airports, from 57% in 2001 to 76% today. Topping the list is Denver, at 86%. 8. Food Stamps for Energy Drinks Now OK By changing the word “Supplement” http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2269

 on their labels to the word “Nutrition,” energy drinks such as Monster, Red Bull and Rock Stark, composed of water, sugar and caffeine, are now considered food products, and are thus covered by the Food Stamp program. 9. Men More Likely to Be Fat at 40 British men in their early 40s are more likely to be overweight than women of the same age, say researchers from the University of London. - See more at:http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/green/forum/viewthread/10645/

The Mediterranean Diet Can Lead to Better Health Later in Life

A new study shows that sticking to a Mediterranean diet in midlife years will positively impact health later in life. This holds especially true for women. Researchers analyzed the data of more than 10,000 women, most of whom were in their late 50s and in good health. They assessed participants’ mental and physical function periodically over the next 15 years. They found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet, which includes a high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish, had a 40 percent greater chance of living beyond the age of 70. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26985

They also found that these same participants were also fairly healthy after the age of 70 and did not suffer from any chronic diseases of physical disabilities. What the study, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, concluded is that middle-aged people who follow a Mediterranean diet, especially women, will have improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and a decreased risk of heart disease and cancer. They also have a lowered risk of developing Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. - See more at:http://www.fitnesstrader.ca/forum/topic/we-do-not-think-about-the-health-of-joints

Breast Cancer Patients Are Likely to Have Unrelated Cosmetic Surgery

A new study examined the link between breast cancer patients and cosmetic surgery. A small number of patients who have undergone breast reconstruction surgery underwent cosmetic treatments to improve their self-esteem. Researchers studied more than 1,214 women, who had breast reconstruction between 2005 and 2012. Of these, 113 also had cosmetic procedures. Thirty-three percent of survey respondents from that pool said they had liposuction, 19 percent had a facelift and 12 percent had eyelid surgery. Their reasons for wanting the cosmetic surgery were overwhelmingly to improve their self-image (62 percent). Many said they were more self-conscious about their appearance after having breast reconstruction surgery. Most reported being more satisfied with their self-image after the cosmetic surgery; however, 28 percent said they did not experience any improvement. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26993

 “Breast reconstruction is transformative in many ways. When a woman faces the prospect of losing a breast, one of the most gratifying things plastic surgeons can offer is the ability to help reconstruct the breast and possibly improve her appearance and restore her self-confidence,” said Dr. Liza Wu, the study’s co-author. Dr. Wu also notes that just a small number of breast cancer patients have cosmetic surgery, but for those that do, it can go a long way in helping boost patients’ self-esteem. - See more at:http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500484

Carrie Underwood Shares Her Diet Secrets

Carrie Underwood looked fabulous during her recent gig as host of the 2013 Country Music Awards. The singer also covers the November 2013 issue of Redbook Magazine, where she shares her own diet secrets. Underwood reveals to the magazine that she wasn’t happy with her weight during her American Idol days. “It was on the Idol tour [after I won]. I put on a lot of weight [during the show] because we were locked in a room all day with a craft service table,” she told Redbook. “I was bored, so I was just eating. I was never overweight, but I feel better with myself now.” http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500745

 She found a pretty easy and simple slim-down method to help her maintain a healthy diet — a food journal. “You know how you feel when you get full? Well, I don’t get full. I can eat a lot,” Underwood said. “[My husband] Mike and I were in Italy for 10 days and I put on 8 pounds. So in real life, I have to make sure I’m not eating just to eat.” Have you ever used a food journal to keep track of your diet? - See more at:https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2118,2118#msg-2118

Reduce Meat and Dairy Intake to Cut Your Risk of Diabetes

Reducing your intake of animal products such as meat and dairy can help reduce the risk of diabetes. Scientists at the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in France found that these products trigger stomach acids, which can lead to an array of diseases. However, acidic fruits are able to cut these acids. “A diet rich in animal protein may favor net acid intake, while most fruits and vegetables form alkaline precursors that neutralize the acidity,” said Dr. Francoise Clavel-Chapelon, the study’s leader. “Contrary to what is generally believed, most fruits such as peaches, apples, pears, bananas and even lemons and oranges actually reduce dietary acid load once the body has processed them.” An excess of acid can lead to a number of complications within the metabolic system. This reduces the body’s ability to regulate insulin, which leads to a higher risk of diabetes. Researchers studied the health of thousands of women over the course of 14 years.  http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/talkgreen/viewthread/10651/

They found that those who had more acidic diets were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Women scored in the top 25 percent for potential renal acid load (Pral) were 56 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those in scored in the bottom 25 percent. Pral measures the impact foods have on acid levels within kidneys and urine. “Our study suggests that dietary acids may play a specific role in promoting the development of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Clavel-Chapelon. “We have demonstrated for the first time in a large prospective study that dietary acid load was positively associated with type 2 diabetes risk, independently of other known risk factors for diabetes.” These findings may lead people to reconsider their diets by consuming less animal products and more fruits and vegetables. - See more at:http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2274

Kids Will Eat Healthy Snacks if Schools Provide Them

Surprise, surprise: schools that provide healthy options in the cafeteria and vending machines help improve the students’ health. “When healthful food options are offered, students will select them, eat them, and improve their diet,” said Katherine Alaimo, associate professor of food science and human nutrition at Michigan State University. “Our study shows that schools can make the kinds of changes required by the forthcoming USDA guidelines, and these changes can have a positive impact on children’s nutrition.” The guidelines Alaimo speaks of is the “Smart Snacks” standards that are being implemented in schools on July 1, 2014. These standards set limits on the amount of calories, salt, sugar and fat found in the foods and beverages being sold at schools. http://www.sarticles.net/article/lose-weight-delicious-and-easy

 They will also be required to promote foods like fruits and vegetables, those made with whole-grains, and those that are low in fat and dairy. In a new study published in Child Obesity, researchers tested standards similar to the new USDA requirements to show how schools can impact the eating habits of students. Researchers found that schools that offered healthy snacks at lunch time or by vending machine were able to boost students’ daily consumption of fruits by 26 percent, vegetables by 14 percent and whole grains by 30 percent. Students were also getting more fiber, calcium and vitamins A and C. “Creating school environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice allows students to practice lessons learned in the classroom and form good habits at an early age, laying a foundation for a healthy future,” said Shannon Carney Oleksyk, a contributing author of the study. Researchers also noted that they measured students’ overall diets, not just what they consumed at school. - See more at: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26992

Persistence Hunting and Persistence Living

One of the first forms of hunting used by early humans consisted of chasing their prey to the point of its exhaustion. This technique is termed persistence hunting.I believe modern humans’ health and fitness would benefit greatly from a variation of this concept, which I term persistence living. Since early humans did not have weapons to kill their prey from a distance and were not fast enough to catch the animal, one way to kill it would have been to run it down over a long distance for an extended period. Because of our ability to dissipate heat by sweating, we have an advantage over our prey, who cannot do this without slowing down and panting for thermoregulation. This hunting behavior is still used today by the Kalahari bushman and the Tarahumara and Raramuri people of Northern Mexico. http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2273

The need to obtain food has had a lot of effect on our early hominid evolution. About 5 to 7 million years ago, some humans began to walk upright. As climate change turned our forest home into sparser woodlands, those who could walk on two legs and travel miles in search of food had a distinct advantage. About 2.5 million years ago, those woodlands were now becoming a savanna or plains, and as we had now evolved into Homo sapiens with our big wise brains we needed more calories than gathering could easily supply. Large animals were a prime source of these calories — if only we could catch and kill them. At this point, we became endurance runners and persistence hunting began. Hunting in a group, one person sprints after the prey. Of course the prey escapes temporarily, but the sprinter stays close enough to point the rest of the group to where the prey is recovering from its sprint. This chase is repeated a few more times, and the prey collapses from hyperthermia and is easily killed. The current state of humanity is much different. Food is cheap and plentiful, and we do not need to work so hard to chase it down. Unfortunately, we have already been turned into efficient persistence hunting machines by our evolution’s natural selection. Now the problem is that our evolutionary gain has become our loss, and it is killing us. We have become obese and unhealthy from our inactivity and poor food choices. I feel evolution is still as active as ever. Perhaps it’s not selecting for the fittest but more for the unfittest, but natural selection is in control, and that’s where persistence living and the example set by the early persistence hunters comes into play.  http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500711

Whether we now do it in a group or alone does not matter as long as we do it. Being active daily and eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods just as our fore-runners did can turn the force of evolution once again in our species’ favor. This must be a consistent lifestyle change that we do for our lifetime. It will take our persistence, just as much as our ancestors needed to be persistent and survive those challenging conditions they had to face. This needed change will not be easy, as our current obesogenic lifestyle will challenge our attempts to alter our unhealthy behavioral direction. However, if you do not find a way to establish new healthy exercise and eating habits as your lifestyle, you will meet a fate that will not be pleasant. - See more at:https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2117,2117#msg-2117